The Lean Six Sigma Company

What The Lean Six Sigma Company does

The Lean Six Sigma Company is a privately held training and consulting organization headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with a US regional office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 2002 by Mischa van Aalten, the firm delivers Lean Six Sigma certification programs ranging from introductory White and Yellow Belt through Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt, alongside Lean Practitioner and Lean Leader tracks. Service delivery is built around the Total Improvement Framework (TIF), the Continuous Improvement Driven Organization (CIDO) Model, and integration with established change management methodologies (ADKAR, Kotter's 8-Step), giving clients a structured DMAIC-based approach to process improvement, waste reduction, and quality control.

The company operates through a network of locally-staffed Managing Partners and country-specific websites covering more than 40 markets across Europe, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services: open-enrollment and customized in-company training programs, enterprise deployment engagements, project coaching, and an organizational licensing program that allows clients to deliver Lean Six Sigma training internally. Named customers include Coca-Cola, Adidas, Heineken, Jaguar, Carrefour, AstraZeneca, United Nations, Gulfstream, and DS Smith, with cumulative scale claims of 50,000+ professionals trained and 4,000+ organizations transformed.

The business model is sales-led and direct-to-consumer hybrid: enterprise deployments are sold through local Managing Partners and bespoke project engagements, while individual certification is available via self-service enrollment on country-specific domains. Strategic partnerships with Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University) and the Baldrige Alliance provide academic and standards-based differentiation. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, consistent with a project-driven professional services model.

Name

The Lean Six Sigma Company

Legal name

The Lean Six Sigma Company

Website

https://theleansixsigmacompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Global Lean Six Sigma training and consulting firm founded in 2002, offering certification programs from White Belt through Master Black Belt and organizational deployment services across 40+ countries, serving manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and public sector enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting and Training Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Six Sigma (Yellow/Green/Black Belt) (EDABAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lean Management & Continuous Improvement (Kaizen) (EDABAKAA), Lean Six Sigma for Services & Transactional Processes (EDABAKAC), Quality, Process Improvement & Lean/Six Sigma Certifications (EDAAANAC), Manufacturing & Operations Excellence (Lean/Six Sigma) (BPAHAHAC)

Keywords

• Lean Six Sigma training
• Process improvement consulting
• Operational excellence services
• Certification training programs
• Continuous improvement deployment

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Services: Individual and group training programs including Green Belt, Black Belt, Master Black Belt, Lean Practitioner, Lean Leader certifications. Offered as open enrollment courses and customized in-company group training on-site or virtual, worldwide.
2. Deployment Services: Organizational Lean Six Sigma deployment programs with tailored approach based on client situation and needs. Includes company-wide rollouts led end-to-end.
3. Project Coaching: Coaching services for Lean Six Sigma project implementation and execution.
4. Licensing: Licensing programs for organizations to deploy Lean Six Sigma internally.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lean Six Sigma Company delivers globally certified Lean Six Sigma training programs (White, Yellow, Green, Black, and Master Black Belt levels) along with organizational deployment services built around the proprietary Total Improvement Framework (TIF). The company serves both individual professionals seeking certification and enterprises that need company-wide Lean Six Sigma rollouts, project coaching, workshops, and licensing for internal training delivery across 40+ countries.

Product overview

The Lean Six Sigma Company is a global training and consulting organization offering a portfolio of certification-based training programs (White Belt through Master Black Belt, plus Lean-specific tracks) and organizational deployment services. The core training products follow a progressive certification hierarchy: White/Yellow Belt for foundational awareness, Green Belt for project leadership, Black Belt for advanced project management, and Master Black Belt for expert/train-the-trainer roles. Lean-specific programs include Lean Practitioner and Lean Leader for organizations focused primarily on Lean methodology. Deployment services complement training through Group Training, Deployment Services anchored by the Total Improvement Framework (TIF), Leadership Awareness, Workshops, Project Coaching, and Licensing. The company operates across 40+ countries with local experts serving organizations in manufacturing, healthcare, finance, technology, and public sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• White Belt Training Introductory awareness-level training introducing Lean Six Sigma concepts and terminology for professionals new to the methodology.
• Yellow Belt Training Foundational training covering basic Lean Six Sigma tools and participation in improvement projects.
• Green Belt Training Intermediate-level Lean Six Sigma certification training focused on project leadership, DMAIC methodology, and data-driven problem solving.
• Black Belt Training Advanced-level Lean Six Sigma certification training for leading complex cross-functional improvement projects with statistical analysis expertise.
• Master Black Belt Training Expert-level Lean Six Sigma certification for training others and leading organizational deployments.
• Lean Practitioner Training Training for Lean methodology implementation, focusing on waste elimination and process flow optimization.
• Lean Leader Training Leadership-focused training covering strategy translation, Lean tool application, organizational culture development, and teaching others to improve.
• Group Training In-company team training delivered on-site or virtual, tailored to organizational processes and specific improvement objectives.
• Deployment Services Company-wide Lean Six Sigma implementation support including program design, rollout management, and sustained capability building, anchored by the Total Improvement Framework (TIF) and Continuous Improvement Driven Organization (CIDO) Model.
• Leadership Awareness Executive and management-level introduction to Lean Six Sigma principles for organizational buy-in and sponsorship.
• Workshops (Kaizen Events) On-site focused improvement workshops for rapid problem-solving on stuck or cross-functional processes.
• Project Coaching Expert guidance for Lean Six Sigma project teams to ensure methodology adherence and successful outcomes.
• Licensing Organizational licensing for internal Lean Six Sigma training program delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ professionals trained worldwide
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Baldrige AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Baldrige Alliance, indicating alignment with Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence in organizational deployment programs.
• Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership for the Black Belt Excellence training program, offering a unique blend of Lean Six Sigma with leading change module. Combines academic rigor with practical methodology for developing strategic improvement projects with substantial organizational impact.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Six Sigma Global Institute (SSGI): SSGI provides accredited Lean Six Sigma certification programs (White through Master Black Belt) for individuals and corporations. It mirrors TLSSC's certification ladder and serves as a direct competitor for open-enrollment and corporate training deals.
• Simplilearn: Simplilearn offers Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt certification courses online and bootcamp-style, directly competing with TLSSC's individual certification track. It targets similar professionals seeking Lean Six Sigma credentials and stacks it with broader project management/PMP offerings.
• Aveta Business Institute: Aveta provides online Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma certification programs (Green Belt, Black Belt, Master Black Belt) targeting working professionals. It competes head-on with TLSSC's open-enrollment certification offering at similar price points.
• MoreSteam: MoreSteam is an online Lean Six Sigma training provider with its own eLearning platform (EngineRoom) used by corporations globally. It overlaps with TLSSC on both individual certification and enterprise deployment training, often integrating statistics/data analysis tooling.
• GoLeanSixSigma.com: GoLeanSixSigma offers self-paced and instructor-led Lean Six Sigma training and certification, with a strong content library led by experts from the Lean Six Sigma community. It directly overlaps with TLSSC's certification business, particularly in North America.

Emerging players

• PMP/Coursera Six Sigma Programs (University of Illinois / Coursera): Coursera hosts accredited university Six Sigma specializations that compete with TLSSC's individual certification stream at lower price points. They represent the edtech-led shift toward self-paced, low-cost alternatives to instructor-led training.
• Wilson Perumal & Company: Wilson Perumal is a specialized operations excellence consulting firm that often engages on Lean Six Sigma deployments and operational transformations. It is a smaller, more boutique competitor to TLSSC's enterprise deployment services, often on complex manufacturing and supply chain projects.

Broad incumbents

• IASSC (International Association for Six Sigma Certification): IASSC is a globally recognized certification body for Lean Six Sigma. While not a training company per se, its accredited partner ecosystem directly competes with TLSSC's certification offerings and shapes industry credentialing standards.
• American Society for Quality (ASQ): ASQ is the largest U.S. quality professional association, offering recognized Lean Six Sigma certifications and training. It is a broader incumbent in the quality/operational excellence space and a key alternative credentialing body to TLSSC's programs.
• Accenture Operations & Management Consulting: Accenture runs large operational excellence and process improvement engagements that include Lean Six Sigma deployments. It competes with TLSSC on enterprise deployment services for global clients, though as part of a much broader consulting portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Lean Six Sigma Company